Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden stopped by Newport High School Saturday night to engage the folks on the coast.

Wyden expressed frustration at the quality, or rather the lack of quality, in President Trump’s cabinet nominees especially banker Steven Mnuchin who Wyden said lied to the Senate committee reviewing Mnuchin about his OneWest Bank’s mortgage robo-signing and massive foreclosures on homeowners, many of them very questionable. Wyden also lamented Georgia Rep.Tom Price’s interview for Secretary of Health and Human services. Wyden said Price lied about favored stock investment advantages for shares from a medical equipment manufacturer. Price said anyone could have gotten the good deal he did – but Wyden reminded him that there were only 16 investors world-wide that were given the “inside action” that gave him a leg up that the investing public at large didn’t get.

And Wyden decried former Amway co-owner Betsy DeVos’s nomination for Education Secretary. DeVos is a life long advocate for private schools and running public schools like a business. Wyden says DeVos couldn’t answer many questions about how she’d lead the country’s massive school system rendering her, in Wyden’s opinion, quite unqualified to help run the nation’s public schools.

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As to President Trump’s claim that millions of illegal votes were cast in last November’s presidential election, Wyden says there is no indication that anything of the kind happened but added that all voters nationwide should be able to vote by mail which involves an absolutely secure paper trail. Such a voting system would also lay to rest claims that the votes were rigged.

As for Trump refusing to reveal his tax returns, Wyden says a bill is being introduced in the Congress that compels all running for federal office to release their tax returns in order to get on the ballot.

Wyden also told those assembled that he wants a full investigation of alleged Russian hacking of America’s November election.

The candidate for Secretary of Education…Betsu DeVos is right now a very close vote and if one more Republican can vote no she will not be confirmed and he urged all to call or contact their representative to urge a no vote!

As for Clicmate Change…Wyden mentioned NOAA based in Newport as doing good work despite Trump’s belief that Climate Change is a hoax. Wyden added that he is fighting to protect the EPA and environment and to block selling off public lands to private companies.